Complexity Theory and the Social Sciences: The State of the Art

This expanded and updated edition of Complexity Theory and the Social Sciences: The State of the Art revisits  the use of complexity theory across the social sciences and  demonstrates how complexity informs approaches to various contemporary  issues in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, widening social  inequality, and impending social and ecological catastrophe wrought by  global warming.

The book reviews complexity theory in  the practice of the social sciences and at their interface with  ecological science. It outlines how social theory can be reconciled with  complexity thinking and presents a review of the way research can be  done using complexity theory. The book suggests how complexity theory  can be used to understand and evaluate governance processes,  particularly with regard to social inequality and the climate crisis.  The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is also examined through a  complexity lens, reviewing how complexity thinking has been employed in  relation to the pandemic and how implementing a complexity framework can  transform health and social care. The book concludes with a call to  action and the use of complexity theory to inform critical thinking in  the education system.

This textbook will be immensely  useful to students and researchers interested in social research  methods, social theory, business and organization studies, health,  education, urban studies, and development studies.